Conventionally, random memory locations are allocated within a host device for use as temporary storage for incoming data received from a network. Allocation of these random memory locations is generally handled at a low level within a networking architecture. Conversely, allocation of the appropriate memory locations representing the final destination for the incoming data is handled at a high level within the networking architecture. Therefore, in conventional networking operations, when a host device receives data through a network communication, the data is first placed at random locations within the host memory. Subsequently, the data is copied from the random memory locations to the appropriate locations within the host memory. Thus, in conventional networking operations, data arriving from the network needs to be copied at least once prior to placement in the appropriate location in the host memory. These copy operations consume valuable host processor cycles that could otherwise be used for more productive functions.